My hearts desire has been to be more self sufficient ..... well I think right now we are getting ready for a crash course. It might just be that I have the stomach flu, and am not thinking clearly.
But, I am sick! totally sick ! of making credit card payments. My hubby and I told ourselves that they where first priority and we where going to pay them off right a way!
We have gotten so busy with all our other projects that we have forgotten that we will have to put every spare dime into it. Well, I am thinking that we need to get back to it.... and I want to have them paid off cut up, and some extra money in the savings.... and I want it sooner, rather than later.
So to get this done.... the family is going to go on a "comfort fast". It was painful, but I got up and got caught up on all the house work, then I unplugged the dryer! We have a small refrigerator for Beer and soda, That got unplugged, and we are not buying any more beer or soda until ALL the cards are paid off. I unplugged all our chargers, TV, and even my computer will just be used for school and to pay Bills. All other times it will be off. So I hope my next post on here will be to tell you all how much I saved on electricity and what not, or to let ya know if I have completely gone off my rocker or not. LOL!
My head is spinning a little, so I am going to lay down and try to think of other ways we can "go without" until our goals are met. Happy Homesteading, Jen
I ran across this on some one's blog. I have back tracked and can't find the blog now, so who ever you are , Thank you.
After reading what was on the Home Grown Revolution page, I decided to make Fridays, my all home grown day. We will see how well I do..... My son Shane is totally fascinated with WWII, and I am fascinated with gardens. So this started a school project a brew'n. I have a dozen pages bookmarked to read to the kids. I will then have them give me "narrations" from them. And we will then look into ways we can ration, recycle and produce our own goods. According to one of the sites, Victory in WWII. depended on America outlasting the enemy. That gives me some thought to the war America fights today. Rice and corn are supposily in short supply, and we don't need to talk about fuel. ( it gives me chest pains) But I did think it was interesting how the government handled things..... I guess they learned a lot from WWI, and called on the American people left on the homefront to join in the fight. It is funny, now a days, we wear red on Fridays, and put support the troops tags on our cars to feel patriotic. Back then it was "patriotic" to grow your own food, so that there would be more food to send to the troops, ration fuel, and meat, so there would be more for the troops. and recycle every scrap of metal, so that the troops would have guns and ammo. I wonder why, in our age of "GOING GREEN" America isn't using some of the homefront lessons of WWII? Or are they, and I just can't see it? I will still wear red on Fridays, and be proud, but, I think now I will have all that more pride in the our efforts, to go green, America is in a war that will never end, at least until Christ comes back....... So I think that American needs to look into outlasting the enemy, who would destroy us and Israel..... If it wasn't for our brave men and woman standing in their way...... God Bless the Troops!!!!!!
Ok! the cure to the windy day blues is; hot tea, a little Jane Austin on CD, and steamy, hot, fresh baked, bread. 
http://cowboysrest.org/retreat.htm
If you ever get a chance to do anything in Nevada, Please head to Cowboy's Rest. Its was such a beautiful weekend. The main sources of the blessing was the ladies I spent all my time with, and learned so much from. But the setting was breathtaking, the food was soooooooo yummy, and the obstacle coarse, trails, and pond, a Blast!
The teaching was from the 23rd Psalm........ and it not only was perfect for my heart..... but, it fit the retreat to a T. If you have ever watched little sheep playing, then you would have a perfect picture of us romping about the grounds. It was such a beautiful blessing, my heart will be in the mountains for some time.
My main project for this week will be designing and making a little trinket to help remind me of everything I learned. I know that the wolf is stocking close and is drooling over us fattened little lambs. But, until I get my little reminder done, I have my sweet little "Shep" 
A cute little stuffed lamb, that I snuggled with during my lessons. And who came with me on my "prayer and reflection "quiet" time. Plus the most memorable "truths" .......... that there is no POO in Heaven, and the communion cups are disposable. LOL! ........it's an inside joke, you would have had to been there. LOL...... The very best "reminder" I have, is all the wonderful ladies I got to know. And when the wolf makes his move, I have some of the best flock mates to call on.
Before and After
We did it! We got everything on my list done. Even got a compost pit dug, and a lettuce bed planted. Bill's dog house turned out very well. His spoiled dog is snug as a bug.
I plan on getting tin roofs on the other dog houses and my rabbit hutches, plus more hutches built. We have baby bunnies due June 4th, so I need to get a new nest box built.
We started a bumble bee nest, but need a few supplies. I hope to have a pix of that up soon. The story on that is at; http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/NevadaGunn
I also got healthy meals and pantry list started, with help from the "Sonoma Diet" most of it is all fresh grown. My light hut is all done, so hopefully we will have all the greens and herbs we need year round. lastly, I plan on getting a BBQ. for the neighbors, all planed out for the end of the month.
But, I will be taking this weekend off, all I have planned is a much needed lady's retreat to Cowboys rest camp, with the gals from church. http://cowboysrest.org/location.htm
I hope everyone has a very blessed weekend! Smiles Jen
It rained most of the day today, everything smells so good. I wish I could bottle the smell of sagebrush and rain. I didn't get to work on any of my projects today, but it is so worth it.
Today was even more special because, this is the first year my daffodils bloomed!
I found them in a neglected bed that was poorly placed. They didn't bloom, despite all my weeding and care. So I moved them so they could get some sun. Still no blooms, this is the third year since I transplanted them.
Here is the "start" for my light hut. it is a wee crooked, I used an old bathroom mirror, scrap wood, left over High-gloss honeymoth paint, and an old light fixture with a full spectrum fluorescent light. So far I have romaine lettuce, rosemary, thyme, oregano, cherry tomatoes, and roma tomatoes.
I started the lettuce a few weeks ago in the window, turning the box every night. I got weak ,tall seedlings. From what I read about light, on Saturday, if a plant doesn't get enough blue light, you get tall weak seedlings. {so, I wonder if grungy widows filter out blue light, LOL} If a plant gets to much blue light, and not enough red ,you get stunted stocky seedlings. in just a few days under the fluorescent {gives off more blue than red} the seedlings are getting stronger. I need to get to home depot so, I can put in a second incandescent light {gives off more red than blue} hopefully then I will have a balanced light hut. and some yummy veggies.
http://www.gardeners.com/Gardening%20Under%20Lights/5080,default,pg.html
This is my Before photo of our Shed and critters.
The chicks are in the dog kennel, so we need to get their new home done. I want to paint ;the shed, rabbit hutches, and the dog houses, (not in the photo). I did get started on the grow light for indoor veggies, But I need to go to home depot for more supplies. And Bill wants to Build his, spoiled dog a fancy new house.
I hope to have this all done my next Monday.. LOL! we will see if I have bitten off more than I can chew. LOL!
Hi all, I am Jen...... I have lived on farmy type homes all my life. And love and enjoy the life-style. My Hubby thinks I should of been born back in the 1870s rather than 1970s. But now we live on 2 acres in a rural association. I don't think we will leave anytime soon, if ever.
I have tried and tried to get a little homestead going over the years, but we have moved every two to three years. I have been married for 12 years, and I am sick of packing. I told DH that if we have to move again I am buying a camper and living as a gypsy. I hate not having roots, as soon as I got the ground good enough for a garden, or get hens to start laying we would move. The past few years I gave up on trying and got a wee job to help bring in extra cash. But right now, I think my DH is ready to let me have my way. We got a wood stove from a friend, and get our own wood. I used some of my income to buy myself a saw. We have meat rabbits and just got a tiny flock of chicks. I hope to have eggs and a fryer or two soon. My next project is trying to get meals and a pantry organised. And to figure out how to grow greens and tomatoes indoors. I gave up on a garden here last year. We have sunny bright 80 degree weather one day and snow the next. I just quit my wee job today. So I am ready to once again fully embrace a more self-sufficient lifestyle .